The second-round draft pick from the University of Tennessee, who has taken a healthy dose of criticism from wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson since training camp, said he actually heard a few words of praise from Jefferson this week.

“Coach complimented me (on Wednesday) and he really doesn’t give too many compliments,” Hunter said. “I had to double-check and ask him if he meant to say that.”

What exactly did Jefferson tell Hunter?

“He said, `Good practice. We need another tomorrow,’” Hunter said. “It’s the only compliment I ever heard him say.”

Hunter was inactive during last week’s opener, but with Damian Williams (hamstring) questionable this week, Hunter may see his first regular-season action.

“It felt bad (sitting out) and it got to me a little bit,” Hunter said. “But I just put it out of my head and practiced harder.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/08/12/video-kenny-britt-on-jefferson-hunter/feed/0Wide receivers blocking wellhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/08/02/wide-receivers-blocking-well/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/08/02/wide-receivers-blocking-well/#commentsFri, 02 Aug 2013 23:31:16 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=25758The Titans are expecting much better offensive line blocking up front due to new personnel, but offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said Friday that he’s also been impressed with the blocking of the team’s wide receivers.

He credited new wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson for the work he’s done with the group.

“Shawn Jefferson has done a great job with the receivers,” Loggains said. “This group of receivers practices harder than any group I’ve been around in eight years with the run-blocking.

“You see Shawn running down the field making sure that they’re making what he calls touchdown blocks, those last blocks that can spring a guy free. I think (Chris Johnson) sees that.”

Fred Graves helped integrate Washington into the team when he first arrived from Pittsburgh in 2009, and Dave Ragone helped Washington produce career numbers of 74 catches, 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011.

But Washington sees something different in new wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, who played 13 years in the NFL, catching 470 passes for 7,023 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Graves was a college wide receiver who didn’t play in the pros, while Ragone is a former quarterback who is now the Titans quarterbacks coach.

“It’s been a pleasure to have the coaches we’ve had here previously, but when you have a guy that’s played our position, it’s a totally different response,” Washington said of Jefferson. “He played there, he understands some things that a lot of other guys don’t understand.”

That’s helped Jefferson keep the receivers motivated, according to Washington.

“When (challenges) come along, with the fire he has, he hasn’t been letting us accept complacency out of each other or out of ourselves,” Washington said. “He’s the guy behind us saying, `Not today, you’re not going to give up on me today.’ Those are the types of things we need.

“It’s not like we’ve been missing them, but at the same time, I don’t think they’ve been harped on as much in the past as (Jefferson) has harped on them. It’s the little things – blocking backside, making sure we’re running complete routes and … making you’re your route is crisp. Those are the type things that are going to help us out.”

As the Titans’ mini-camp came to an end last week, both head coach Mike Munchak and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains praised the wide receiver corps as being especially good during offseason workouts.

Washington said he felt good about what he saw from the group as well.

“We haven’t taken any days off,” Washington said. “Even on days where we seem to think that it might get too us and we might be a little tired, there’s always been one guy to push us mentally. It’s been me, it’s been Kenny (Britt), it’s been Damian (Williams), it’s been Kendall (Wright), and guys like Michael Preston and Marc Mariani.

“All the guys in this corps right now have been pushing each other every single day, not only with our words, but with our work ethic and our action. So we haven’t taken one day off. Every day we’re getting better and we just have to stay focused on those kind of things.”

“The receiver group has probably had fewer mental mistakes than probably the rest of the group outside the quarterbacks, and that’s the first time that’s happened here since I’ve been here in eight years,” Loggains said on Tuesday.

“I think it’s a standard we set. I think it’s a standard (new receivers coach Shawn Jefferson) set. These guys are like our fans. They’re tired of losing. They want to win. They want to go to the playoffs.”

On Wednesday, Munchak said: “The receiving group has been fun to watch, the way they’re working in the run game and the pass game. We’ve drafted guys at that position the last few years and there’s great competition and camaraderie there.

“I think it was fun seeing Kenny (Britt) healthy and not having questions every day about his health, and seeing (Kendall Wright) lose 15 pounds and running out here like a guy who’s going to break a lot of runs next year. Nate Washington has had the best camp he’s had since he’s been here. He’s been a leader. He’s been everything you could ask for.

“You’ve got some guys who could make plays. So we’re excited. It’s fun to watch them. They compete against each other and they push each other. I just think it’s going to be a fun group to watch.”